Ayariga Clears Air On GH¢1.3m Scandal

Hassan Ayariga The 2012 presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Hassan Ayariga, has dismissed recent allegations made by his party National Treasurer, David Apasera, that he has embezzled party funds.

Mr. Ayariga was recently called upon by Mr. Apasera to account for a whopping amount of GH¢1.3million being the PNC’s campaign funds for the 2012 general elections.

Addressing the party’s top executives from across the country and some of his supporters in Accra on Saturday, Mr. Ayariga insisted that he had no idea whatsoever about the said amount of money.

He therefore, ordered the top brass of the party and some supporters to question the party’s National Chairman, the General Secretary and the Treasurer “to give account of the said funds” which alleged disappearance is posing a threat to the somewhat fragile stability within the PNC.

According to him, the three officials were in charge of funds belonging to the party and not him, and as such, if there was any misappropriation of funds, he should not be blamed because he had nothing whatsoever to do with the party’s finance.

“There are three persons responsible for PNC funds. They are the National Treasurer, Secretary and the National Chairman,” he said, adding “They sign cheques in this party.”

“Hassan Ayariga is not responsible for your money,” the 2012 presidential candidate stressed.

He continued, ‘I don’t dey sign cheques. I don’t dey take care of your money. So how come you say I chop your money?

“These three persons I mentioned are the ones who chopped your monies and not Hassan Ayariga. I want you to understand this today,” he reiterated.

The GH¢1.3 million campaign funds scandal had sparked tension within the party, with accusing fingers being pointed at Mr. Ayariga, whose 2016 campaign, perhaps, could be disturbed by the allegations, if he is to contest for the party’s flagbearership position .

The ForumThe forum was organized to bring all the party’s constituency executives and their respective parliamentary candidates for the 2012 general elections to deliberate on the internal rivalry within the party and to find solutions that would help save the party from total collapse.

“The party’s performance at the last election and indeed in all previous elections since 1992, has never been encouraging and as such, some proactive measures need to be adopted to save the party from any further dip and eventual collapse,” urged Bala Salihu Maikankan, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman.